World of Warcraft classes have undergone many changes over the long-running MMO’s existence. While some specializations play entirely different from their initial humble beginnings, one class that has always maintained its spellcasting flair is the Mage. This powerhouse of a magic user is a staple in the series, having fun and unique spells like Polymorph and portals to every major hub. Mages have three specializations – Arcane, Fire, and Frost. All of them have seen the spotlight before, but which Mage specialization is the best in Dragonflight?
Frost Mage in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
It is interesting to see that the Frost specialization has taken the top role currently in Dragonflight. This spec has always stumbled a bit since its inception compared to the other two, often being on the bottom. Even at the start of the expansion it failed to meet the damage that the other specializations could muster in raids. Several buffs have caused Frost to move up in the world and it now sits comfortably as the top damage spec in the Mage options for both boss fights and overall in raids.
Frost is a very fun specialization. It is able to boost its own spellcasting speed while launching quite the icey punch to enemies. Chilling enemies allow the Frost Mage to do more damage to the target and most non-boss mobs will be frozen in their tracks. If you like to control the battlefield with slows and roots, this may just be the specialization for you.
Fire Mage in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Fire Mage has usually been the top contender for best Mage specializations throughout World of Warcraft’s existence. It is a powerhouse of damage and a master of critical strikes. Fire Mages are able to burn their enemies, adding damage over time from some of their spells. They also gain a higher critical chance and can launch powerful Pyroblasts should they get enough critical strikes in a row.
While Fire Mage is usually the top dog, it has shuffled around a bit in terms of its damage potential in Dragonflight. It sits in the middle of the DPS tier list, just below Frost Mage. It is a fun specialization, however, with some good casting-while-moving potential and explosive spell animations.
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Arcane Mage in World of Warcraft: Dragonflight
Arcane Mage is an interesting specialization that has seen major changes over the course of World of Warcraft’s history. It received another complete rework in Dragonflight, making the specialization more accessible and building its niche as a bursty turret. Arcane Mage started off strong in Dragonflight. Its ability to pump high damage in short windows is almost unmatched, but this strength seems to fall off as other specializations get better gear.
Arcane Mages are the only DPS caster specialization that needs to even think about their mana bar. This is usually only reserved for healers, and so Arcane has an added weight of making sure its rotation doesn’t overly tax its mana. Players that manage to perfect this ebb and flow can dish out some major damage, but it’s a specialization that is always a little more complex to master than other classes in the game.
